Santos Organics

Food gardens with integrated composting for a busy, local wellbeing cafe and grocer. Diverting food and carbon waste from landfill, to help grow fresh produce—a full-circle cafe!

Andrew was engaged to develop a fully self-sufficient compost and food garden for Byron Bay’s local chain grocer brand, Santos Organics. Positioned directly out front of their cafe and grocer warehouse in the industrial estate, the GardenShip™ garden beds (coined by Andrew) are full of edible herbs, salad leaves and vegetables which can be enjoyed by the customers and used by the staff when creating daily meals for the menu.

Within the garden beds are prototypes of Andrew’s in-ground compost system invention, each of which can process up to 50kg of food waste per week, and which also double as practical in-garden seating for the customers to enjoy their time at the cafe - all without smells or mess.

The beauty of integrated in-ground composting, especially in a setting like this, is it can be done in close proximity to customers and the public, without becoming a negative factor. Composting woven with life!